An evening jog into the hills behind El Sauz saw me find a few 5 new birds. Firstly, a Chipping Sparrow deep inside a bush allowed me a few record shots, and then later on in the same spot I found a small party of Lark Sparrows.
Further on as the landscape got more desolate, a large buteo-like raptor rose above a distant crag. Silhouetted against the setting sun, it hovered constantly in the wind making it difficult for me to pick out any diagnostic features. Patience prevailed, though, and I got enough of a view to confirm it as a Red-tailed Hawk - my third raptor of the trip. Much closer, a Canyon Towhee chirped away. I'd seen this drab bird distantly a few times, but was glad to get good enough views to confidently i.d. it.
Another drab bird, a female Phainopepla flew across the track on round, Jay like wings, completing the 5. More common open country birds - Kingbirds, Shrikes and 'Verms' were all present in good numbers, and as I returned home, this Curve-billed Thrasher barked away at me from the rooftop
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